The Orthodox Union (OU) — the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization — is pleased to announce Monday that Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer has been appointed by U.S. Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the agency’s Faith-Based Security Advisory Council (FBSAC).
Members of the external advisory body advise the DHS secretary on the needs of the faith community relating to security and preparedness matters. Rabbi Hauer is one of 25 members of the newly appointed FBSAC – whose first meeting will be convened by Secretary Mayorkas on October 6.
The advisory council will provide independent, strategic, timely, specific and actionable advice to the secretary on a range of homeland security matters, with a particular focus on:
Enhancing the Homeland Security Department’s work to protect houses of worship;
Improving coordination and sharing information about security threats with the faith community and with the broader communities in which they serve;
Increasing access to DHS resources by building trust and addressing potential barriers;
Preventing and protecting against, responding to, and recovering from acts of targeted violence, terrorism, and other threats.